


Lignum Nympha

by Biekewieke



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Forbidden Love, Lost in the Woods, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Plot Twists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 14:26:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16662609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biekewieke/pseuds/Biekewieke
Summary: Biologist Ben Solo travels to Endor after the death of his father.Upon his arrival, he soon finds himself utterly lost - in every sense of the way.He meets with Rey, a mythical creature that inhabitates the woods. He soon discovers his fate is linked to hers.But what does that mean, exactly?Written as a response to a visual drabble prompt in the facebook Reylo Fic Recs groupVisual can be found here:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=332563664190741&set=gm.2180285528957772&type=3&theater&ifg=1





	Lignum Nympha

**Author's Note:**

> My dear reader, 
> 
> This story was started by a plot bunny that was véry persistant.  
> It wasn't until I saw the drabble prompt in our Reylo Fic Recs group that I decided to knuckle down and finish it.  
> I hereby present you with my first official oneshot and hope you like it. 
> 
> Much love and gratitude towards our wonderful group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/reyloficrecs/
> 
> Even more love and gratitude towards the even more wonderful group of authors from our group chat.  
> You ladies are awe-inspiring and I am humbled and honored to be in your midst.
> 
> and love and gratitude to you, my reader. 
> 
> X  
> B

Twilight was starting to roll in.  
A gentle mist formed around him, making it even harder to orientate himself.  
“Whatever gave me the notion that this was a good idea again?” he murmured again, agitation and frustration filling his voice.

Ben Solo, biologist, philanthropist and brilliant academic suffering from burn-out symptoms, had considered it a brilliant idea to go off into the woods on his own. To “find himself again”, and to “reconnect with that which had once brought him so much joy”.  
A weeklong vacation in the beautiful and almost magical surroundings of Endor, with its very specific fauna and flora, would be just the thing.

So he had done his homework, befriended Google in his search of survival tactics and how to be prosperous in the woods. Had watched every episode of “Survival of the fittest” on National Geographic. Had even stooped so low as to read “Surviving in the woods for dummies”.  
He’d bought his gear at a renowned shop in Coruscant, had spared no expenses when it came to his tent, his cooking equipment, and everything else the owner had pawned on him.  
He had deemed himself properly prepared.

And now he was lost…

“Lost in the woods… Just my luck… And now I’m talking to myself. I _have_ officially lost my mind.” He spat the words, as if they left a foul taste in his mouth.

He shook his head and realized that if he wanted to make it through this second day in the uncharted forests of Endor, he needed to put his newfound knowledge into practice.  
With a great big sigh, he took off his backpack and started to make camp.  
Thank goodness, he had learned as much from his father when he was a kid.

Han…  
Now this would be right up his alley…

The memory of his father made his throat close up.  
Han Solo had died six months earlier in a bizarre accident involving a rathtar. No one knew the specifics, and those closest to him knew better than to look deeper into it. He had always been involved in one scheme or another. No doubt, this would prove a similar situation, bound to bring about more suffering.

His mother, Leia, had taken it hard.  
Her usual cool exterior had cracked. She had recently resumed her position in politics, but she had changed dramatically. She had become cold, calculated and sometimes even downright ruthless. Gone was her idealistic side. It seemed to have died with her husband, resulting in a double tragedy.  
She had become a true politician.

Ben pondered all these things as he prepared for the night.  
His tent set up, he quickly made a fire and started making his meal. After his supper he sat with his back against a tree, cradling a mug of coffee.  
He was lost in strange thoughts when he noticed something.  
A sound in the darkness ahead of him.

_A giggle._

Ben frowned as he stared into the dark woods, trying to focus on the origin of the sound.  
“Hello?” he called out. “Who’s there?”

He was met with silence at first.  
But then he saw something at the edge of the clearing.  
Another soft giggle sounded, enticing and alluring as anything he’d ever heard.

“Hello?” He repeated with a little more force.  
“I know you’re out there.”

He stared at the spot where he’d noticed the movement but nothing.  
Another giggle sounded, closer this time. It was as if it was to his right.  
Ben turned put down his mug and stood facing that direction.

“It’s alright. You can show yourself. Unless you’re going to kill me. Then I’d rather not know what you look like.” He spoke clearly with humor lacing his tone.  
Another round of laughter, this time as melodious as a wind chime.

“I’m not supposed to show myself to your kind…”  
A decidedly feminine voice spoke, the sound clear and lilting.

It made Ben smile despite himself. Something quivered in his stomach because of the woman’s voice. Apprehension and something unfamiliar unfurled in his chest and he took a step closer to the edge of the trees.

“That may be so, but it’s not entirely fair, is it? After all, you can see me…”

He peered between the trees, looking for the woman.  
Something shifted behind a grand oak. Almost luminescent.

“If someone finds out, I’ll be punished.”

That gave Ben pause.  
He frowned as he spoke up.

“Then why are you here?”

Another giggle, this time with an obvious hint of nervousness.  
“For the same reason as you are talking with me. Curiosity.”

This time the sound of her voice was even closer. As if she were circling him, drawing closer with every arch.

“And what have you discovered so far?”

The question slipped from his lips with a husky undertone, and he found himself holding his breath for her answer.

“That you don’t seem to be as awful as they claim humans to be…”

Ben swallowed at the tone of her voice. She sounded… intrigued.

“I’m completely harmless, I can assure you.”

He hated how flirtatious he sounded. How he couldn’t stop the stupid smile from curving his lips.  
But he was dying with curiosity. He wanted to know who this beautiful enticing voice belonged to.  
That luminescent aura appeared again, even closer this time.

“Do you promise?”

Ben swallowed and pursed his lips briefly before he spoke up hoarsely.

“I promise.”

The shimmering light he had seen between the trees seemed to emerge slowly.  
It took on a human-like form the closer it came to the firelight.  
A beautiful young woman stood partly in the shadows, with moonlight streaming down upon her.

She wore a long soft-looking and flowing dress, with a few high slits in the skirt and a plunging neckline. It’s dark green fabric seemed to take on a million hues as she walked. Her fair skin seemed to glow. Hair the color of wild chestnuts seemed to shimmer in the firelight.  Perfect lips were parted in a bright smile that revealed even white teeth. High cheekbones showed a healthy rosy blush. A small dusting of freckles was visible on her pert little nose.

But it was not until he looked into her eyes, Ben felt himself truly lost.  
For her eyes were the color of the forest itself. A wide range of greens and browns and gold shone bright and mischievous.

She bit her lower lip and smiled at him.  
Ben could do nothing but stare.  
She took his breath away.

“You’re much taller than I imagined humans to be.” She said with a barely suppressed giggle.

That seemed to snap him out of his stupor.

“I am considered tall, yes. Most of my people are not of my height.”

She looked up at him from beneath partially lowered lashes.  
“I see…” Her voice sounded sultry and it elicited goosebumps across his skin.

_As if she likes what she sees…_

A long forgotten urge seemed to emerge from somewhere deep within him. His body responded against his own volition. The need to pull her into his arms and kiss her was almost overwhelming.

“I’m Ben. Ben Solo.”

The girl smiled at him.  
“Hello, Ben Solo.” She giggled.

She started walking around him in a slow circle, eyeing him up and down as she went.  
After a few moments of silence, he realized she would not give him any information on her own volition.

“And what is your name?” he asked politely.

She smiled up at him adoringly.  
“I’m Rey.”

His breath caught once more at the way she looked at him. As if he were the most magical thing she had ever seen…  
A small smile tugged at one corner of his mouth in surprise. She was extraordinary.

“Pardon me for asking, Rey,” he started haltingly, still studying her features with great fascination, “but what are you?”  
He tilted his head and the lopsided smile transformed into a full-blown grin.  
“You look human, and yet you don’t. You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever seen…”

She giggled again and seemed to prance a little.

“I am a lignum nympha.” She said giddily.

“A lignum…”

As she watched his smile turn into a frown, she couldn’t suppress another bout of amused laughter.

“Lignum Nympha. A wood nymph, in basic.”

“I thought they were a myth.” He uttered in confusion.

“That’s what I thought about humans…” she laughed.

That made him laugh right along with him.  
“This is amazing…” he murmured. “Are you a figment of my imagination?” He asked pensively. “A fantasy? A dream I’ve come up with to distract myself from being lost?”

Rey cocked her head and stared at him with merriment.  
“No, I’m not. And I know you’re lost. We always know when someone or something has lost its way in these woods.”

“I see…” He said, but he didn’t really.  
“Well, I’m pleased to meet you, Rey.” He said with a small bow in her direction. “Would you care to join me? Keep me company for a while?”

Rey glanced at the camp and then back at him.  
“I can’t stay long. The others will wonder where I am if I don’t get back soon…”  
But she took a few steps in his direction.

They sat down at the fire, and their initial shyness quickly dissipated into thin air.  
They asked each other questions about their lives, about their people and customs. Rey let out an entire barrage of questions about the objects he had with him. And slowly but surely, time ticked by.  
Before long, the sky showed the first signs of early dawn.

“Oh my, would you look at the time!” Rey said as she quickly got up.  
“I had no idea it was this late! I should get back before anyone comes looking for me. Goodbye!”

She turned to leave when Ben reached for her hand.

“Rey, wait!”

She looked back over her shoulder, her hazel eyes gazing back at him with what seemed like reservation. That single look almost made him stop in his tracks. But he felt an irrational need to keep her with him.

“Will I see you again?”

Desperation laced his voice but he didn’t care. He watched her features as she obviously had a hard time to make up her mind.

“I will come back by nightfall, if you don’t move away from this clearing.” She said with clear reluctance.

Ben just nodded and smiled with relief.

“If that is your condition, then I will not stray. I’ll wait here for you.”

He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles, just like his mother had taught him.  
He watched her from beneath his lashes and felt the almost electric current go through him at the small contact.

She had felt it too, judging by her reaction. Her eyes widened slightly and her breath hitched. Rey’s lips parted gently, and a cute blush spread across her cheeks.

“Until tonight then?” He asked ardently.

“Until tonight.” Rey responded with a smile.

She took several steps back and disappeared into the trees without so much as a sound.  
That is, until he heard a now familiar giggle.

Ben didn’t even bother to hide his smile as he put out the fire and crawled into his tent.  
The last thing he saw as he closed his eyes, was a beautiful hazel-eyed wood nymph giggling in the firelight…

 

 

The next day went by agonizingly slow.

He had promised the girl he wouldn’t leave this little clearing. But that seemed to be a lot harder in reality. He became restless within an hour after waking up. He had breakfast as slowly as he could, telling himself he was “savoring his food”. When in fact, it was barely edible. He’d burnt his eggs because he had been daydreaming. His bread was starting to go stale. His coffee was bland.

His thoughts kept returning to that mysterious creature.

She had claimed to be a lignum nympha. _A wood nymph_.  
Those things only existed in myths and fairytales. No one had ever really encountered one, had they?

As he paced his makeshift camp, a million thoughts plowed through his tired brain.  
What if this was all just a figment of his imagination? He was overworked and emotionally unstable. It had taken a lot of therapy sessions and proper medication to get to the point of confessing that to himself.

So what if this female apparition, beautiful as she was, was nothing more than an imaginary companion? His subconscious trying to tell him he needed more help? Or trying to teach him something about his current situation? He was an academic. He had always needed proof before believing anything. So this was very odd indeed.

The more he pondered, the more options became apparent.  
What if this was some strange sort of practical joke? Something his colleagues or his family and friends had arranged behind his back? He wouldn’t put it beyond them. Especially Armitage. He would enjoy that immensely…

And then there was the final notion.  
_What if she’s real?_  
His natural reaction was to dismiss the idea as soon as it popped up.  
But then again, he had seen her as clear as day. He had talked to her, heard her stories of her people. Had smelled her. Had touched her. His lips had touched her skin, and she had felt warm and vibrant and very, very real…

He growled in frustration and threw his tin cup against a tree, unable to contain his foul mood any longer.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar giggle behind him.

“Reminder to myself: Ben needs his sleep or he gets cranky…”

He whirled at the sound of her voice. And sure enough, there she was. She looked even more beautiful, if that were possible.  
She wore different clothes today, more suited for the day’s miserable weather. A long dress, again with slits that reached mid-thigh. A long-sleeved jacket of sorts, with some type of fur on the cuffs and neckline. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, shining even in the dim light.  
Ben was stunned into silence.

She giggled again, the sound slightly different than before.

He found his voice again.  
“Rey! Hi.” He said and his voice sounded gruff. “I hadn’t expected to see you this early.” He said as he felt his ears go red. He was embarrassed at her having witnessed his outburst. He thought he was getting them under control every time, but then something would give…

“That’s quite alright.” She said gently but she didn’t come any closer.  
Silence seemed to thicken the air between them, and it was growing uncomfortable fast. Was it because they were both standing before each other in broad daylight?

He scuffed the tip of his heavy boots in the foliage on the ground.  
“I hope I didn’t get you in trouble last night.” He started as he looked everywhere but her. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to stop staring at her gorgeous features.  


A deep sigh made her chest heave and her shoulders rise and fall. “I got some questions. Nothing I couldn’t handle.” She said reluctantly.

He looked at her then and saw that she too was looking anywhere but him.  


“I’m sorry.” He spoke, his voice a deep rumble in his chest. “I shouldn’t have asked you to come back when I knew it would create unnecessary conflict.”

Her eyes met his and he felt that gaze down to his toes. The way that green gaze pierced his carefully erected armor and exposed his very soul before her, was downright daunting.

And then suddenly, something shifted.

She smiled at him, and it was as if the sun itself hid in that smile. It seemed to chase away the gloom of this autumn afternoon and made if feel like spring. Hope and something else sprang up in his heart, illogical and strange, but not an entirely unwelcome sensation.

“Let’s just say that your presence here is too tempting to resist.”

There was just something in the way she said that one sentence that made his entire body and soul respond. He made a sound in the back of his throat, unable to utter anything coherent.

She giggled again and then wandered over to sit by the fire.  
“So…” she started in that sweet voice of hers, “what are your plans for the day?”  


Her action seemed to shake him from his ruse. He joined her by the fire and took a moment to stoke up the flames some more.

“I don’t know. I haven’t given it a lot of thought. I haven’t been awake that long, actually.”  


She cocked her head and looked at him intently. “Do all humans sleep so much, or is it just you?”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I didn’t exactly get much sleep last night. Most humans sleep an average of eight hours a night.” He added another log to the fire.

Han’s voice rung in his head, a memory from his childhood popping up again.

_It's important to keep your fire going as long as you can. It’s a lot harder to get it started again than to keep it going._

“Ben? Are you alright?”

Ben looked up and saw Rey looking at him with concern written all over her pretty face.  
He took a deep breath and made an attempt at a grin.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a thought popping up. Nothing to worry about.”

Rey narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re lying to me.” She stated without a single doubt.

He stared at her, slightly unnerved that she was able to see through him like that. His mentor had often told him that he had his father’s heart. That he had a soft face, unable to school his expressions into something more detached. That it would do him no good. He thought of doing exactly what she accused him of, of lying to her. But he found himself lost in that open stare, full of innocent trust. He could not lie to her. Would not lie to her. He sighed and the words tumbled from his lips without any barrier.

“I was thinking of my father.” He said as he averted his eyes.

Rey was silent for a few moments. She drew closer and sat down across from him. She tilted her head and studied him, completely unaware of how Ben was fighting to hold on to his composure.

“Your father is gone.” She said softly. Ben’s eyes flew to hers and he saw nothing but understanding and compassion in that hazel gaze.

He swallowed hard and pursed his lips. When he found his voice, it sounded rough and broken.

“Yes. He is.”

“I’m sorry.” Rey whispered. “I’m sure it must be hard.”

He smiled grimly and made a gesture with his hand.

“Happens to all of us, sooner or later, right?” He snorted. He was back to his old self, pushing unpleasant situations away with nonchalance and folly.

Rey frowned at him.

“What?” he asked softly.

“Is this a human trait?” she asked with concern and caution.

“What is?”

“This…” she gestured at him “indifference? If so, then I am glad it is something we do not know of.”

Ben’s eyebrows shot up so high, they all but disappeared into his hairline. They then dropped into an angry scowl.

 “It’s a coping mechanism, and for your information, it _is_ quite a normal way of dealing with things, yes.” His words were curt, his tone accusing.

Rey’s own expression changed into one of surprise and then chagrin. To his surprise, two tiny horns appeared on her head, cute and alluring as well as slightly intimidating.  


“Well, it is something I’ve decided I do not like. And one I’m not going to condone.”

She got up and turned around, ready to leave the clearing and go back to wherever her home was.  
Ben was quick to jump up.

“Rey, wait!”

He reached for her hand again. As soon as his fingers touched hers, that tiny electric current shot up his arm again. It made his breath hitch and his heart jump in his chest. Rey’s head swiveled back in his direction and he could tell that she felt it too. Her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted. Her cheeks became flushed in a matter of seconds and the vein in her lovely neck seemed about ready to pop.

“Rey, I’m sorry.” He said, his face a classic example of unbridled misery. “Don’t go. Please.” He swallowed hard and pursed his lips and she could tell that his emotions were sincere. “It’s only been a few months since he died. Eventhough we weren’t close anymore these past few years, we were once and I’m taking it harder than I thought I would.” He closed his eyes and seemed to count or pray or something along those lines. “Just please don’t go yet.”

Rey looked at him and gauged his reactions. “I’ll stay. But don’t do that again, Ben.” She admonished.  
“I won’t allow it. It does not help with your grief. It will only add to it.” She grabbed his hand with both of hers and lowered her gaze. “I need you to understand that this is not the way we are used to.”

He looked at her, watched how her cheeks seemed to glow with an ethereal energy, how elegantly sculpted the contours of her face were. But then her eyes met his and he felt awestruck. Those eyes, as seen from this short distance and in broad daylight, were magical. The entire Endor forest seemed to be encompassed in those hazel orbs. Forest green, jade, amber, deep chocolate brown… Every shade and hue of this enchanting place seemed to gather in those eyes and made him forget who and where he was.

Well… almost.

She looked up at him expectantly and it took him a few moments to remember her words.

“Oh! Yeah, right…” He stumbled through, tripping over his own tongue. He frowned before answering. “I’ll try. But I can’t promise that it won’t happen again.”

She lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

“Fair enough.” She said with a cheeky smile. She let go of his hand and he missed the touch instantly. She sat down and leaned her back against a tree, content to just be.

Ben found himself responding slower, taking a moment or two to digest this little interlude.  
  
_Was_ he indifferent to Han’s death? Or was it just one way of dealing with it, as he’d claimed? Was his father’s passing the reason for his meltdown? Or had that just been inevitable?

“Where are you, Ben?”

He looked up to see Rey’s fascinate eyes stare at him with such tenderness.

“I’m sorry.” He said with a lopsided grin. “I’m afraid I’m not very good company today.”

She giggled. “Is it because you did not get enough sleep?

This made him laugh.

_Another sincere laugh. How long had it been since he’d done that?_

“Probably.” He said softly, staring at her from beneath his lashes. “Or maybe I just needed someone to remind me that gloomy and brooding is not exactly socially accepted.”

Rey smiled at him, wide and uninhibited. “I’m glad you realized.”

They sat there for a moment or two, just smiling at each other. Rey was the first to break the spell. She scooted closer and spoke animatedly.

“So! What else can you tell me about humans?”

Ben let out a chuckle as he handed her a cup of caf. Her reaction to the bitter liquid was amusing, and it was quite the conversation starter.

They talked for hours, about everything and nothing.  
Ben spoke of his world, about the cities and the transportation and the jobs they held. About their food, about their customs like dating and getting married.

Rey spoke little of her world, saying that it was not allowed to share these things to an outsider.  
She did tell him about their own customs when it came to their pastimes and also things such as marriage, as a response to his explanation.Time passed quickly for them, and soon night fell again.

“I should go,” Rey said quietly as she stood reluctantly. “If I stay out all night again, I’m bound to get in trouble.”

“I understand.” Ben said softly, mimicking her motions. “I wouldn’t want to cause you any harm in any way.”

Rey smiled at him again, and Ben was suddenly overcome with a strange sensation.

“Rey, I…” his voice trailed off. He took a deep breath and it came out on a loud sigh. “I have things to do that will cause me to pack up and move camp come morning.”

 He looked at her and was spellbound by the way her eyes sparkled in the firelight. Driven by an unknown Force, he reached out and took her hands, and he was surprised when she didn’t object.

“I have become quite fond of spending time with you. I hope I get to see you again.”

Rey giggled, and he looked up in surprise.

“Don’t worry, Ben.” She said with a twinkle of mischief “I will always find you.”

Ben’s face fell slightly at her choice of words.  
It was something his parents used to say now and then when he was younger. Back when they were still somewhat tolerant towards each other.

But when she brought her hand up and touched his cheek, he forgot about his parents.  
And when she lifted herself up on her toes and kissed him on his other cheek, at the corner of his mouth, he lost the ability to form coherent thoughts. Before he could react, her touch was gone. She was already retreating into the darkened forest when he heard her giggle.

“Goodnight Ben.”

He touched his fingers to his mouth where her lips had pressed so gently.

“Goodnight Rey.” He whispered into the darkness.

 

 

He woke the next morning, feeling utterly exhausted.

Sleep had been a long time coming after that kiss from Rey.  
It had been one of the most chaste and innocent of kisses he’d ever received in his life, but it had managed to rip his entire equilibrium to shreds. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel that brush against his mouth. The texture of her lips, the scent of her skin, the heat of her body so close to his.

He frowned again as he started to break up camp. He’d already lost two days. Two days of not getting back to his passion. Of _finding himself_.

Instead he’d been mooning over a wood nymph no less!

He meticulously put his gear away, taking care of handling them with all the concentration he could muster. Still his mind kept wandering to that magical creature that visited him.

He’d discovered very little about her, aside from her name and that she had a penchant for honey.  
She was very closed off, very tight-lipped about her people. It was a mystery.

_She_ was a mystery.

But he only had a few days left. Come Monday, he needed to be at the rendez-vous point near the main village. It wasn’t until then that he realized once again that he was lost. That was what had made him set up camp there in the first place.

Letting out a very loud and very explicit expletive, he threw his backpack down on the ground.  
He let out a deep sigh and shoved his hands in his hair.

How did he get in this mess?

His parents had taken great joy in telling him over and over again that he had been conceived in these woods. That they believed that was why he had such an affinity for biology. That he was hard-wired for it because he was created in such a rugged environment.

He let out a short humorless bark of laughter. That was as far from the truth as claiming he would be the next president. He stood there, looking between the trees, hands on his hips and shoulders slumping. He could hear his father’s voice in his head again.

_“Cheer up, Benjamin. Things are never as bleak as they seem. You just have to open yourself up to the adventure and then you’ll find it comes looking for you.”_

The words brought an involuntary smile to his lips.

His father had died because of his endless need for adventure. So that was probably not the best source of advice…

But he found himself sighing deeply and picking up his backpack again nonetheless. He shouldered it and took one more look around the camp, making sure he hadn’t left anything and that he had put out the fire.

He unfolded his map and tried to figure out where to go next when he heard the softest of sounds.  
It was familiar. His mouth curved into a wide smile as he turned and saw Rey lounging on an overthrown log a few yards away.

“Well, goodmorning.” He drawled.

She giggled again.

“Goodmorning Ben. Sleep well?” she asked with a lift of her eyebrow.

“Not nearly enough, but it was more and better than the previous night. You?” He asked as he sauntered over to where she sat.

“I had a wonderful night, thank you.” She responded coyly.

“You seem a little… lost.” She said with a wide grin. “Need some help?”

He chuckled at the challenge in her eyes.

“Well, that’s one way of looking at it.” He replied, feeling more cheerful by the second. “Perhaps I wouldn’t mind a little guidance.”

Rey giggled and it did something to him.

She looked wonderful this morning. Well, she always looked wonderful, but there was something about her now, sitting there on that log, with the morning mist floating around her and the soft sunshine illuminating her from behind. It took his breath away and made his heart skip a beat.

“If you tell me where you’re headed, I can guide you in the right direction.” She tilted her head and smiled up at him.

It was nothing out of the ordinary, something a thousand women had done before. But with her it seemed new and exciting and it told him something he wasn’t ready to admit.  
His throat was suddenly dry and he cleared it twice before he was able to speak again.

“I’m looking for Ewok Lake.” He said, sounding as if he’d swallowed a cotton field.

Her smile faltered a little.

“Ewok Lake?” she said with a frown marring her pretty face. “Why are you headed for Ewok Lake?”

Her reaction struck him as odd, but he ignored it for now.

“It was an important place for my father.” He simply said.

“And what are your plans once you get there?” she asked, her eyes not quite meeting his.

Something was wrong. He could sense it.

“You don’t want me to go there.” He said slowly, his voice pensive as he tilted his head to study her lovely features. “Why?”

She met his eyes then and he saw reluctance in those hazel depths.

“I can’t tell you.” She whispered.

Silence hung heavily between them for a few long moments. He crossed the distance between them, stopping three feet away. He stared down at her beautiful face, trying to see past the forced mask she was putting up. And then it hit him like a lightning bolt.

“Your people.” He whispered. “They are at Ewok Lake.”

He watched as her eyes widened. Her mouth flattened, the mirth and happy twinkle in her eyes dimming. He felt his stomach sink, the sensation dismal. He continued to search her face and then he felt anger grow within his chest.

“You think I’m here for them?” The words came out rather loud and harsh, bouncing off the trees around them, disturbing the birds and other wildlife.

She merely lifted her chin.

A sound of disgust escaped him and he shook his head in disbelief. He turned around and took a few steps away from her, before abruptly facing her again. His index finger aimed at her chest, he couldn’t hold the hurt and dismay from his voice.

“I thought I’ve made it quite clear that I’m not here because of your people, haven’t I? I didn’t even know your people existed before I met you. Kriff! For all I know, you’re just a figment of my overactive imagination anyway!”

He ended up shouting at her, unable to control his temper.

“Seriously, Rey, I couldn’t care less about your people. Am I curious? Yes, sure, of course. But not enough to chase them down!”

“Ben, please stop shouting.” She said quietly, her eyes still hooded.

“Why should I?” He responded.

He shoved his hand through his hair and addressed her once more.

“I thought you understood. That you understood my reasons for coming here. That you understood _me_.”

He hated the desperate tone that laced his words. Hated the hurt he could hear worming its way in his voice. But he couldn’t keep it back if he wanted to. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.

“I’m going to Ewok Lake. Whether you want me to or not.” He stared her in the eye, determination steeling his voice. “It’s something I have to do.” He turned his back to her and started to collect his things.

Rey stood there, watching him. She knew he didn’t want to find her people. But if he stumbled upon them, and they found out she had met him before…

He continued packing and when he was done, he just walked out in a general direction.

“Ben Solo.” She called out to him.

He just kept on walking, not even acknowledging her.

“Ben Solo! I know you can hear me.” She said louder as she started after him, her feet light and nimble on the dense foliage covering the ground.

“I hear you, Rey. I’m just not listening.”

“I can explain.” She said and almost plowed into his back as he stopped walking abruptly.

He turned and crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking at her with an expression that was a crossover between stern and bored.

“Fine. Explain.” He said with a raised eyebrow.

He watched as she took a deep breath. She was looking anywhere but him.

“You’re right. My people are at Lake Ewok.” She said haltingly.

He drew in a sharp breath and threw his hands up in irritation.

“Rey, for crying out loud, I just told you…”

She interrupted him, blurting out the rest of her explanation.

“My people are very aversive to humans. Contact with them is forbidden. Any trespassing of that rule is punishable by death.”

He looked at her and saw she was being sincere.

“Several years ago, humans came to Endor. They discovered our clan. For some foreign reason, they attacked us. It was a massacre. Men, women, children, elderly… They made no exceptions. Most of my kinsmen were murdered, many were wounded. Only a few survived. Those who made it, relocated to another end of the forest, trying to rebuild what they had lost. Contact with your kind has been forbidden ever since. If you are discovered, they might end up killing you. If you go there, I fear they will see it as another attack. And if they find out that I have been seeing you, they will punish me too. We will both pay for it with our lives.” Her eyes were pleading.

He sighed and cupped the side of her face with his hand.

“Rey, I understand what you are trying to say. I really do.” His gaze bore into hers with an intensity that could rival the sun. “But I am just one man. I hardly think they’ll consider it an attack. I don’t believe for one second that the sight of me will make them feel threatened in any way. I’m not exactly what one would call the ‘aggressive invader-type’.”  
He stepped a little closer and touched her face gently.  
“Rey, I need to do this. And I will do this. I will go to Ewok Lake. Whether you want me to or not. All I can do is promise I will not breathe a word about you if they do approach me.”

She lowered her gaze, but not before he had seen the defeat in them.

“I see.” She said solemnly. “It’s not that far. I will take you as close as I can without being discovered and point you in the right direction when we are near.”

He smiled at her.

“Thank you, Rey.”

 Rey turned away but halted. Her eyes flew to his and they were a little too bright.

“This means that I won’t be able to see you again.”

Her chin trembled a little and the tiny movement tugged at his heartstrings.

“I know.” His voice rumbled low in his chest.

She looked up at him with such hesitation in her gaze.

“I…” she started but her voice died in her throat. Her breathing was ragged, as if she’d run for miles.  
Something between them shifted and Ben swallowed past a lump that had formed instantly.  
Rey lifted herself on her tiptoes and ran her fingers through his luscious locks. Her eyes followed the motion and the sensation of her fingers on his scalp caused goosebumps on his skin.

Rey’s eyes then seemed to caress his face, to land on his mouth. She licked her lips and murmured something unintelligible, but what sounded an awful lot like: ‘Just this once’  
She then pulled his head down and fitted her mouth to his.

The sensations that crashed into him at the touch of her lips on his were phenomenal.  
His heart stopped beating completely for a few seconds, only to pick up at triple the speed. The feel of her lips pressed against his was like the finest silk, floating on water. His stomach was doing a freefall and there was an entire colony of butterflies fluttering away in his insides.

His arms came around her instinctively, pulling her closer until he felt she would melt right into him.  
Nothing had ever felt so right in his life! Her arms snaked around his back, slowly rubbing up and down his spine. Rey moaned softly in the back of her throat and it made him sigh with gratitude.  
They settled into the embrace as if they were born to do so.

So lost in their own little world were they, they didn’t even notice that they were being surrounded.

_“Rey, dilthen er, step awaui o hon.”_

Rey broke the kiss abruptly and whipped her head around.

Ben followed her lead, if much slower in pace. He was still dazed by the taste of her kiss to completely understand what was going on. When the fog lifted from his senses, he realized Rey stood frozen in his arms. He saw that they were surrounded by what seemed like dozens and dozens of warriors, bows and arrows aimed at them. _Him!_

They were Rey’s people. He knew that on some basic level, from what she had told him about them and pure instinct.  
Rey stood still within his embrace, frozen to the spot and unable to move an inch. But then suddenly, she seemed to regain some of that spirit that he had come to adore so much.

“No!” she shouted at the man who had spoken up. Big and burly, with brightly painted markings on his arms and cheeks, he was obviously high up the clan rank.

_“Makito will ú- n- happui nia hi. Cin ken i rules. A cin ken da chasten erwart.”_

Ben very quietly released her, slowly and deliberately did he move his arms away from her as he softly whispered in her ear.

“It’s alright, Rey. Listen to them.”

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

“They will kill you.” She whispered back vehemently.

He smiled gently.

“If they do, I’ll die a happy man.”

Two of the warriors stepped forward and grabbed Rey’s upper arms, dragging her away. The gesture was too rough for Ben’s taste, so he made a move towards them.

That made an arrow whizz right past his ear.

The warrior who had addressed Rey before now spoke to him in a menacing tone.

“If you value your life at all, _Firen_ , you’ll not make another move.”

Ben gazed up at the painted man and saw nothing but hatred reflected in his eyes.

“Then I suggest your men treat one of their own with more respect.” Ben bit back, although he did as he was told.

_“Pak hon!”_ He bit out to his fellow warriors. Four of them stepped forward and grabbed Ben and bound his hands and feet.

The leader stepped forward too, halting just before Ben.

“You should mind that tongue of yours, _Firen_. She is no concern of yours.”

Where he found the courage, he would never know, but Ben never broke eye contact as he made his retort.

“I think I’ll decide what I think concerns me or not.”

The leader smirked at him, his dark eyes gleaming like onyx gems.  
He then hit Ben in the stomach, the blow so hard it made him double over and the wind was forced from his lungs.

“Let’s away.” He yelled. And the rest of the group started to move in unison.  
He pinched a certain nerve in Ben’s neck and he went out cold in an instant. He was dragged back to the settlement and tied to a post in the middle of a clearing in the center of the village.  
He was woken up by a large bucket of ice cold water, thrown in his face.

Drawing in a huge, shuddering breath, he tried to gather his wits about him and to get a hold on his bearings.  
What seemed like the entire clan was gathered around him in a circle, and before him on what appeared to be a large throne, sat a figure that seemed regal. His face was worn, many lines marring his features. His hair was white as snow, the contrast stark with his sun kissed skin. He wore white robes adorned with golden thread, the patterns both mesmerizing and incomprehensible. On his head, there was a crown of sorts, made from twigs and flowers and leaves, the most complex construction Ben had ever seen.

The silence around them was deafening, not even the birds or the wind made any noise.

Ben looked around, his confusion growing as he noticed Rey tied to another post to his left. Her head hung low, a single tear making its way down her soft cheek.

“Rey…” He whispered and it made her look up. He smiled at her, to comfort her and give her hope.  
It was then that the clan leader spoke.

“You.” He said with a booming voice that somehow didn’t seem to match his gentle appearance. “What is your name?”

Ben swallowed, hating the fact that he was intimidated by this man.

“My name is Ben Solo.”

He was proud of the control in his voice. No one would know that the situation made him tremble with fear.

“What is your business here, Ben Solo.”

“I am on my way to Ewok Lake, Sir. To honor my father’s life and dying wish.”

That made the clan leader’s eyebrow lift. Curiosity shone in ancient eyes that had probably seen too much of life’s trials. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at Ben, trying to figure out what the young man was all about.

“Have you come to bring us ruin, Ben Solo?”

The question was direct, but somehow it made Ben smile.

“No, Sir. Until a few days ago, I did not even know of the existence of your people.”

The clan leader stood and took a few steps closer to Ben.  
He had to look up to stare Ben in the eyes, but that did not seem to daunt him in the least. Those ancient eyes seemed even older up close, and the wisdom that shone from within was probably why this man was chosen as their leader.

“I believe you, Ben Solo.” He said quietly, in a voice so low it was barely above a whisper. “But the problem is, that we cannot allow humans to know our location. Experience has proven that your kind is unreliable and cruel. We have rules and regulations, that have kept our people safe for many years now. And we must abide by them.” He sighed deeply and for a moment, the old man seemed as weary as a man could be.

“Because of our customs, any intrusion of humans will be met with execution. We will make it quick, as I believe your reasons for coming here have nothing to do with our people. As for Rey…” He looked over at her huddled form with regret marring his face, “she knows the rules. Contact with humans is the greatest trespassing of all. One punishable with death. Therefore, she will meet the same fate.” He sighed deeply.

“Pak ihn.” He said to his warriors.

“No!” Ben shouted and looked the stricken old man in the eye. “Rey has done nothing wrong! Not once has she said or done anything to endanger your people! She is an innocent in all this. Let her go.” He said heatedly. The old man just looked at him.

“Please.” Ben whispered, his eyes pleading.

The clan leader averted his eyes and shook his head briefly before he walked away.

Ben and Rey were taken away to a place near the lake. The view was spectacular. Especially now, at the end of the day, with the sky above ablaze with the fiery colors of sunset reflecting off the mirror-like surface, it took his breath away.

Several tree stumps stood near the shore. They were taken to them and brought down to their knees. Ben and Rey shared a look, full of sorrow and regret.  
Their hands were untied, much to their surprise. A foot was placed between their shoulder blades, effectively trapping them in place.

“Rey.” Ben whispered, and she turned her head towards him. Tears were trailing down her cheeks freely, but she returned his whisper.

“Ben.”  
He reached out to her and their hands touched. They locked around each other and held on tight.

The axe came down and suddenly, there was nothing around them but darkness…  


  


 

Ben came to, shouting out as he all but jumped up into a seated position.

He was completely disorientated.

He was lying on a bed in a white room, with strange appliances beeping around him.  
The door flew open and a vision stepped through.

“Rey?” he whispered, completely dumbfounded.

“Well well, look who’s awake! Good morning!” the apparition spoke as she walked up to his bed. “How are you feeling, Mr Solo?”

He looked up at her and took a deep breath.

“I don’t understand.” He muttered softly. “We were… I mean, they…” He looked at her and felt everything inside him grow soft at the tenderness he saw in those hazel eyes. “You’re alright.” He smiled. “You’re safe!” he said as he reached out to touch her hand.

“You must be so confused right now.” She said gently as she pushed buttons and removed vials. After a short silence, in which she looked over his vitals and he stared at her as if she were the sun, she spoke up again.

“You’ve had quite an accident, Mr Solo. The plane you were on crashed before reaching your destination. You are the only survivor, I’m afraid. You’ve been in a coma for several weeks.”

She came to stand beside his bed and brushed a lock from his forehead.

“You’re alright.” He said once more as he grabbed her wrist and pressed his lips to her pulse. He watched as her eyes widened slightly.

“Mr Solo…” she said, but her breath caught as she saw the gleam in his eyes.

“Rey… I thought I’d lost you.” he whispered. “I’m so sorry. Forgive me.”

“Don’t worry.” She whispered back as she watched his eyes grow lidded again. “I’m fine. And in a few days, so will you be. Just rest for now. I’ll be back to check on you later.”

He kissed her wrist again and then took her hand and threaded his fingers with hers. He drifted off to sleep once more, this time with a peaceful smile on his face.

Rey looked down on his sleeping form and smiled.

She had no idea how this patient had found out her name, but he moved her in a way no one ever had. She was glad he had survived that crash. She felt… connected to him somehow. As if their souls had met before. As if they were destined for a future together.

 Silly, but there you had it.

And even though it went against every rule in the book, she would gladly break those rules if there was some sort of future for them.  

  
  
**The end.**  
  


 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Reader! 
> 
> Now, I'm curious to see what you think...  
> Did you like it, did you hate it?  
> Let me know by leaving me a comment below! 
> 
> X  
> B


End file.
